Shipping/registering a USA Norton back to the UK

Related to a thread I started about the RE interceptor...does anyone have any experience/idea what the cost/process involved would be to ship my Commando to the UK and import/register it in the UK? Maybe it would be more practical than I think it would be and since I'm convinced it would be the ideal bike for me when I'm in the UK, it might make sense to do that.

My wife suggested this so it would be suicidal for me not to "look into it!"

MexicoMike said:

Related to a thread I started about the RE interceptor...does anyone have any experience/idea what the cost/process involved would be to ship my Commando to the UK and import/register it in the UK? Maybe it would be more practical than I think it would be and since I'm convinced it would be the ideal bike for me when I'm in the UK, it might make sense to do that.

My wife suggested this so it would be suicidal for me not to "look into it!"

Click to expand...

US bikes are imported to the UK all the time
Maybe you could hook up with someone that imports them
When the bike gets here you need to fill out a NOVA this is very basic and to stop you paying import duty
(I've done it so it can't be difficult!!!)
It's best if you have your American title
I can't remember if you have to have an inspection or not but when I imported a bike from Germany I had the dating officer in my vintage bike club inspect it
When I imported mine there wasn't the historic bike exemption for MOT and road tax ,so you are allowed to ride on the road to and from your nearest MOT test centre without a registration plate
I took the long route there and back on my new to me t160 !
You fill in a registration request then send it off to DVLA Swansea with £55 and your American title (which will be destroyed by the DVLA)then wait for your registration number to arrive

Great info, Baz, thanks!!!!!!! Looks entirely do-able!

Worth noting that import duty for old bikes into the UK is Zero, and VAT is 5%... of the declared value, of course. If you're emigrating I don't think even this applies.
As already said, the NOVA certificate and the title together with a DVLA V55 form and £55 will get an age related registration, although they may require the bike to be inspected. NOC dating certificate works too.
Best guess is 1-2 months to complete

The key to getting VAT down from 20% to 5% is using the right commodity code and getting the Nova team onboard. I had to fill out a form detailing why a 65 T120R was a rare and collectable vintage motorcycle, being a US only variant was accepted.

kommando said:

The key to getting VAT down from 20% to 5% is using the right commodity code and getting the Nova team onboard. I had to fill out a form detailing why a 65 T120R was a rare and collectable vintage motorcycle, being a US only variant was accepted.

Click to expand...

I had no Vat issues when I imported mine
But that was 6 years ago

Pretty sure its down to who you are dealing with, it was the Nova guy who prompted the form filling in for me, sure others would have just took the 20%. So to be safe its best sorted out and forms obtained before you apply.

I notice lots of US imports for sale in the UK - usually on eBay, presumably it is still a worthwhile business. The TV show presenter (who shall not be named) was recently at a warehouse full of bikes where he bought a Suzuki GT750 for restoration, the importer / seller is often on eBay. I am curious as to where they find these bikes? Is there a network of agents in the US buying bikes for the importer? Is the US really full of neglected bikes that can be bought sufficiently cheaply to make them worth importing? or does it rely on a decent $:£ exchange rate to be profitable?

daveforty said:

I notice lots of US imports for sale in the UK - usually on eBay, presumably it is still a worthwhile business. The TV show presenter (who shall not be named) was recently at a warehouse full of bikes where he bought a Suzuki GT750 for restoration, the importer / seller is often on eBay. I am curious as to where they find these bikes? Is there a network of agents in the US buying bikes for the importer? Is the US really full of neglected bikes that can be bought sufficiently cheaply to make them worth importing? or does it rely on a decent $:£ exchange rate to be profitable?

Click to expand...

Under the pretense of "museum", puppy mill here:


I saw a rusty GT750 I was interested in.... way more than I was willing to pay.

daveforty said:

I notice lots of US imports for sale in the UK - usually on eBay, presumably it is still a worthwhile business. The TV show presenter (who shall not be named) was recently at a warehouse full of bikes where he bought a Suzuki GT750 for restoration, the importer / seller is often on eBay. I am curious as to where they find these bikes? Is there a network of agents in the US buying bikes for the importer? Is the US really full of neglected bikes that can be bought sufficiently cheaply to make them worth importing? or does it rely on a decent $:£ exchange rate to be profitable?

Click to expand...

There are lots of low mileage, neglected British bikes in the US. There are three I know of who part them out on eBay. They generally buy collections - estates, people getting too old, people in money trouble. I suspect that they sell complete bikes when they can get more that way than parting them out, especially if titled. If not titled, then to an exporter. I've bought three collections and they always cost way less than buying each bike individually and they usually come with lots of parts.

Read the first few entries here: https://www.gregmarsh.com/MC/Norton/Norton_1974.aspx This is an example. The Cases and Frame came from eBay from one of those who part them out. The next pictures are of a very low mileage, neglected, un-titled bike also from eBay. Between them I invested less than $4k delivered. I had lots of parts to buy/refurbish, but all engine and gearbox internals were good as were the gas tank, oil tank, oil tank cover, caliper, master cylinder, and fork sliders. When all done, I had a good frame and engine cases to sell (un-titled) - I got almost as much for them as I spent on the titled set I bought.

One of the collections I bought came with four bikes. I can't get a title (long story) for one of them - a Combat - so I may finish it and try to export it. I have others (way too many) that may end up in an estate sale someday - too many to build and people keep bringing me their bikes to rebuild.

Be prepared for a long wait with the DVLA, another non functioning organ of the State!

I imported a bike from Europe in February and am still waiting for the DVLA to issue a Plate and V5C.

Notxal said:

Be prepared for a long wait with the DVLA, another non functioning organ of the State!

I imported a bike from Europe in February and am still waiting for the DVLA to issue a Plate and V5C.

Click to expand...

Blimey
Are they still working from home?
I knew it was a problem with them being incredibly slow working from home during the flu
But I assumed it was ok now

I did the same with a bike from Europe before the flu and was gobsmacked at how quick they returned everything !

concours said:

Under the pretense of "museum", puppy mill here:

Motorcycle Museum | Rockville | New England Motorcycle Museum

Inside a historical mill, the New England Motorcycle Museum in Rockville Connecticut is a 501(c)3 non-profit motorcycle museum and is open to the public.

www.newenglandmotorcyclemuseum.org

I saw a rusty GT750 I was interested in.... way more than I was willing to pay.

Click to expand...

Intriguing.. It would seem that this a hobby for a very wealthy group or individual. It appears that they did a beautiful job restoring the building , but they would have to sell a LOT of motorcycles to cover the claimed six million dollar expenditures. Do you have any insight into the back story to all this ? A while back I saw a video from this group selling a Penton Six Day restoration and it looked pretty nice .

Notxal said:

Be prepared for a long wait with the DVLA, another non functioning organ of the State!

I imported a bike from Europe in February and am still waiting for the DVLA to issue a Plate and V5C.

Click to expand...

Doesn't sound good at all!
A couple of months ago I put the paperwork in, and the V5 came through for my US import Commando within around 3 weeks, so I'm guessing something has gone wrong.
I also submitted the paperwork for a couple of projects which are still in build, and because they weren't ready to be inspected (my mistake) I had the paperwork returned. Even these were processed within a month or so.

You are moving from the US or Mexico to the UK............... dare I ask but why?

The answer is simply that we just enjoy living in the UK. We aren't moving/selling our TX house, but we spend most of the year in England so I was thinking of having the Norton here. Though, re that, yesterday I became aware of a '76 Honda CB400F for sale that looks nearly new. It might be an even better choice for the roads we like ---all 37 HP!

Mike,
There was a recent thread started by Fast Eddie (I think) that I replied too. I've imported about 7 or more bikes from the US in the last 10 years, see my replies, especially on the 5% VAT thing) here. Also look into insurance if you're not actually a resident (might not be pertinent in your case?). i offered a friend a bike cheap while he came back from Australia for a year and it was a nightmare insurance wise, he gave up. Also MUCH easier with a title, again shouldn't be an issue I'm guessing?

Great info, thanks all...turns out the Norton will stay in the Americas; yesterday I bought the '76 CB400! https://www.chrishallmotorcycles.co.uk/used-bikes/honda/cb400/165407.htm